Jordan Davis, Kip Moore, Jillian Jacqueline concert sells out in Reno

Nick Alvarez/Nevada Sagebrush.Jordan Davis performs as an opener for Kip Moore at a concert in Reno on Saturday, Oct. 27. The artist shared how he gets nervous before performances but still gets a rush out of them nonetheless.

A Kip Moore concert at the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino was the place to be for country music lovers on Saturday, Oct. 27. The show featured openers like Jordan Davis and Jillian Jacqueline, and was nearly sold-out with country music blasting and fans dancing all around.

Between sets the room was fairly well lit, but during performances one might have confused the concert for a rave. That was no apparent issue though, as the lights were synchronized with the drum kicks and other instruments, which really made the performance come together.

Attendees were either dressed informally in t-shirts and pants or all out in cowboy hats, jeans, and a nice pair of boots. It was a country concert, after all.

Jillian Jacqueline was the first artist to perform, and played for about an hour. People were still trickling in, buying drinks and browsing through merchandise outside the theater.

After Jacqueline finished, the lights came back on and the audience milled about for around 20 minutes, but the lights soon dimmed again, getting the crowd excited.

Jordan Davis talked about how he becomes anxious before performances — think of how a football player gets anxious waiting for kickoff, or how a wrestler gets anxious waiting for the first whistle after shaking hands.

“I don’t think I’m gonna stop getting that feeling for a long time […] I mean I look forward to those two or three minutes before when your walk out song is going on and the band is fired up,” Davis said. “It’s a pretty cool moment.”

Davis appeared on stage to rampant fanfare as he began to play “Tough to Tie Down” from his album “Home State.” Most people were in their seats as he continued on with his set, but the music was loud and the crowd was loving it.

Midway through his performance, Davis spoke with the crowd, saying that when his band got to the theater, they took a particular liking to the acoustics. For the first time on his tour, Davis went on to play “Leaving New Orleans,” the last track from his album, and a slower, somber one.

But by the time the first few chords of his hit song “Singles You Up” played, people were up out of their seats. The theater was singing along with him as he performed, and they were loving it.

The song was not even the conclusion to his set either. He went on to play “Take It From Me”, which kept the energy in the crowd high.

In the interim period between sets, the theater began to really fill in. Some people only came to see Moore — a shame considering how lively the opening acts were.

Moore has not been to Reno since 2013 and since then he has garnered more fame — enough to pack the venue full. While some people were first-time country concert attendees, others were avid fans, with one woman following Moore to Reno, Santa Cruz and Salt Lake City.

Among Moore’s shots of whiskey between songs and relishing in the blaring music, almost every person in there was on their feet dancing. Moore knew how to hype the crowd up, and that’s the kind of energy that makes a concert great.

Midway through his performance, Moore went acoustic for a few songs, sending the band off for a break and simply playing his guitar. Before playing, though, he spotted a girl in the front row standing room who was on her phone, so he reached down and took it. Moore jokingly complained that he was right there in front of her and she was going to live in the moment for the next few songs.

After finishing the first song, Moore pulled the phone out of his back pocket and asked who was trying to call them so much, and that if someone was doing the same thing to him, that person was going to get blocked.

After the acoustic bit, Moore fired right back up with the band, playing his hit song “More Girls Like You” which absolutely shook the theater. The crowd was up on their feet, yelling the lyrics, and the experience of being in there was electrifying.

He also brought out Jillian Jacqueline again for a performance together of one of his slower songs, exemplifying the bond the artists have while on tour.

“This is our second time out with Kip. We’ve toured with him before. He’s a great dude,” Davis said. “He’s super generous to us out on the road, rocks out with Jillian Jacqueline, who’s our second time out with her, and they’re two of my favorite people in the music business.”

Before Moore began to play his last song, he asked that everybody put away their phones and once again live in the moment.

Even after the concert concluded, Moore came to the merchandise booth and signed everyone’s shirts, hats and other paraphernalia. It would be fair to say that Kip Moore loves his fans.

A country concert in the GSR was an unbelievable experience, and as there are sure to be more artists making stops in the Biggest Little City, picking up some tickets should be a priority for you when they do.